BOATRIGHT QUESTIONABLE: Junior guard Ryan Boatright has left the team to return home to Illinois after the death of his cousin last week. Coach Kevin Ollie said Boatright was "50/50" to play against the Owls. Boatright has played in 63 straight games, the longest streak by a current Husky, and has started 48 consecutive times.

NEW BEGINNING: The Huskies and Owls have played seven times, but not since 1965 when UConn won 71-60 at home. While the Owls were once a Big East member, it was for football only, they have played their basketball in the Atlantic-10 before moving into The American.

ZONED OUT: With a lack of rebounding against Louisville -- a 30-45 disadvantage -- the Huskies were never able to solve their opponent's zone defense. The zone has been an issue for UConn at times this season. "Yeah. If I was a coach I'd zone us. I understand what it's going to take, but we have to understand when we see zone, we need to smile at a zone," Ollie said. "We have great shooters. We have a great person in DeAndre (Daniels) to get in the four hole and make plays, but you got to rebound."

STRUGGLING OWLS: Temple, which started the season with only 10 players and has battled injuries, has lost six straight and eight of nine. The lone victory over that stretch is a 101-65 triumph over LIU Brooklyn on Dec. 21. Guard Will Cummings (16.1 ppg) has missed the last two games after suffering a concussion against South Florida.